Can you post a pic of what you are seeing as far as the rod alignment?

You can trim the flex rods, but they should not need to be. There should be enough adjustment on both ends to give you 1/2" or more of play. Ideally, if you can take a video of what is happening above and below the playfield that would help.

I'll get some pics and/or video. Appreciate the help!

Does the servo arm move?

Okay here are some pictures. I know I don't have the bottom connector on all the way I was just doing that because I was moving it around to test different positions and this was the last position I tested. I've tried it with the flex arm on both sides of the wheel and from behind and from the top but I can't get anything to move. The servo moves but it just seems like there's too much slack to have any effect on the chest. When I manually move the flex arm I can get it to work just fine so it doesn't seem like it's bound anywhere.

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The connection to the servo is not in the proper position. Yours looks to be about the 3 o'clock position (when the playfield is raised) and it should be in the 12 o'clock position (the arm pointing at the ceiling when the playfield is raised).

The rod should not be bent at all, it should be a straight shot.

Okay I'll give that a try. I've just been playing it with a chest closed so I've been content but I would love to get it working.

When I have it in the 12:00 position with no bend in the flex rod this is what it looks like on top. It just wants to bunch up either on the bottom or the top like it's too long.

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With no slack on top and without me even pulling the flex rod tight this is how much extra space there is at the bottom. I don't see how it can work with this length of flex rod. The servo just doesn't turn enough to make any difference because there's so much slack.

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It looks like maybe the rod is too long. One or two people mentioned this as well, very early on in the flex rod era. If you need to cut it, you can. Just remove a threaded end (I lock the threaded rod in the chuck of a drill but you can use pliers if you are careful) and use scissors to cut.

Harry, sent you a pm. I am missing the part that connects the rod to the chest lid. See pic below (the only parts that are left)...

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Can you post a picture of the lid? It should already be attached

Unfortunately it is not attached to the back of the lid.

Thanks

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Sorry about that, crazy. In the mail

Thank you

Anyone have a picture of the final wiring harness using the mouser parts?

Got it figured out, just plugs into the 5V and ground at the starfield map.

harryhoudini I pm’d you about the actuator rod. Please get in touch with me.

Oh just saw this post, already replied In the mail.

So I think I’m still on the old code! I realized I forgot to update it. Are there easy instructions on how to do this?

https://pinballmods.co/chest-mod-code-update

You can also send the controller to us and we'll update it.

I’ve been installing this mod and I have an issue that I think anyone should have with the flex rod version, see pictures:

The issue: the connection of the rod down can not be made, because it is exactly above the diverter bracket.

Now I can bend the rod a bit to go beside it, but the black clevis has a little edge, so when you pull it down it gets stuck on the metal bracket.

I’ve tried mounting it on the outside, but then it gets stuck in the spring.

Now I’m wondering why was this connection for the rod not made let’s say 5-6 mm made to the right (direction ship). This would solve these issues.
I’m going to use a longer bolt and try to move it more in this direction.

Any advice or comments welcome.
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Alright I got it to work I moved the rod to before the bracket and that does the job.

However, 1 light strip in the chest is DOA (almost like the other user reported, but here no leds work). I ordered two, also for my friend so it was easy to check.

Look at attached picture. The installed one gives no light, the extra one works (pulses red).

Also my lighted star map is red only, which does not look so nice compared to the rest, is it possible to change the color to white?
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I'm having issues with this mod as well. Got it installed, it raises and lowers upon boot up but during gameplay its doesnt move at all, just stays open. I've tried everything and cant get this thing to work correctly. Also after I installed the star field galaxy mod the star map decided to stop working altogether.

I've never been able to get my chest opening mod working correctly. I've been playing the game with the chest lid closed for the last 6 months.

Sorry to hear you guys are having issues with yours as mine has worked fine since installation. LOVE this mod!

Well I'm sure we'll get some support and it gets solved.
I took the starmap out and used the buttons that came with the chest mod. Turns out you can adjust the lighting settings with that also on the starmap.
I have no idea what button does what but after pressing some things it now has a more or less white color and lighting only 1, so that's solved.

I'll look at the chest lighting later, may be bad soldering/loose wire. I'll post some pictures of how I connected the rod.
In general it goes straight down (I think I've seen here some pictures with a bent rod, I doubt that works).
I put 5V on the servo so it goes to off position and adjusted the clevis by screwing it on more (on the servo side) until the length is perfect for when it's closed.
It works fine, at least in test mode when I press the switch. Will see how it goes in game.

One other thing I noticed: the chest light does not go on before the switch is triggered once to open/close the chest.
I don't know if it's supposed to work like this?

So I figured out the issue. The white bushings (on the fork mechanism) aren't fully depressing the silver switch on the mod when it rolls all the way back. Unfortunately the housing of the mod doesnt sit far forward enough on my machine, so while the bushings slide back and touch it, it doesnt push it back enough to trigger the mod to open/close.. in order to get this to work I had to move the mod/housing up so when the bushing rolls back it actually hits this silver switch and triggers it. Right now I just have tape holding it down, but I think may need to drill some new holes into the bracket to hold it in place, since this new placement isnt in line with the current holes on the mod bracket. I was just about to give up on it.. but glad I didnt! This is a really cool mod and it adds a lot to the game now. Hope this helps you guys with yours!

You couldn't just adjust the switch leaf or was it way to far away?

I think I am in the same ship as you @djsoup.
My chest opens and closes on startup but not during game play.

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I do think there is a step in the instructions about adjusting that switch to engage the plastic spacer well. I had to change mine but I don’t think you should have to change the position of the whole mod mech

Mine is working perfectly now. All I did was adjust the switch arm so it would engage fully!

Hey Everyone.

I am just getting around to install my mod and realized that the rod (latest type from back in Nov 2019 - yeah I know is too long. It seemed that if I flipped around the servo that it might fit exactly but then the direction of the servo rotation would be backwards. So I decided I am going to just cut the yellow plastic rod and adjust the screw post. When I did a dry run of the rotation it is actually reversed from what it should be.

Example, when the chest lid is open, the server should push the rod up to close it and when it is closed it should pull the rod down to open it. My servo is working the opposite way. How do I reverse this? Is there a button or does it have to be changed in the code? I am willing to adjust the code through IDE if someone can tell me what to change.

Thank you.
~d

// ----- SWITCH
const int switchInterval = 1000; // number of millisecs between switch readings
const int debounceInterval = 1000; // number of millisecs between switch readings
byte switchState = 0;
byte currentState = switchState;
unsigned long lastDebounceTime = 0;

//------- SERVO
Servo svo; // create servo object to control a servo

const int servoOpenPos = 0; //degree position on the servo for the chest to be open
const int servoClosedPos = 55; //degree position on the servo for the chest to be closed
int servoPosition = servoClosedPos;
int servoOpenDefault = 20;
int servoCloseDefault = 20;
int servoOpenInterval = servoOpenDefault; // millisecs between servo moves
int servoCloseInterval = servoCloseDefault;
int servoDegrees = 3; // amount servo moves at each step
byte servoMove = 0;
byte servoDirection = 0;

It hit it but didnt depress it all the way to trigger. I had to move the unit up for it to fully depress the switch to trigger.

Exactly! Its touching it, but not fully depressing the metal switch. With the game on if you push that metal lever back more, you'll see it will engage and disengage when you let go. I moved the unit up a little so that when the bushings come down it pushes that metal lever back far enough to actually trigger it. I didnt want to take any chances bending that metal piece so moving the unit up and taping it down is working for me.. glad you figured yours out!

I think what you need to do is let the game boot up, remove the rod clamp from the propeller piece, unscrew the propeller piece and move it so that one of the propeller arms is in the 1 o'clock position, then reattach the rod clamp to the arm in this position - hopefully that works for you!

You are right on this and it now works well!

Coincidentally I went back through this thread and saw either a picture of video where the rod was attached to the top arm and not the bottom (or right side if looking at the servo while it is lying horizontally). Oddly, this is opposite of what is shown in the sample instructional videos on Scott's site although I believe that Scott does speak of the option. I just assumed that the rod should be attached to the lower arm as this would keep the arm straight up and down when the PF in back down. Having it bend up seems odd when the arm is flexible but it is now working. I'd still prefer to use the bottom arm if some enlightens me on how to reverse direction of the servo in code.

Hopefully this helps someone else out here.

I have everything installed and calibrated correctly, except that the fork mechanism is not dropping all the way to engage the micro switch to close the chest when a ball is in the chest. I have adjusted the micro switch to its limit. I have lubed the railings of the fork mechanism on the machine. It only needs to drop another 1/8". Has anyone ran into this?

When your forks are in the down position can you lift the switch and it engages? If so you can adjust the leaf switch down so it closes as it should when forks are down.

I finally got the chest mod to work correctly. The forks in my machine were not coming down all the way. I found that the coil to the forks had a pin coming loose in the sleeve. I tapped the pin back in with a punch. Now the forks lower all the way making the switch. Everything works like it should. I love this mod!

I just installed the lighted version of this mod a few weeks ago. It took a little time flipping through yt videos to find the next step, but other than that it only took about an hour to install. It worked on the first shot and has performed flawlessly since. This is like adding an entire lost toy back to the game and it's hard to imagine the game without it now. This needs to be installed on every Pirates out there! Bravo!

Here’s the position of mine when the chest is closed. Mine will open and close when the game boots. Opposite to what is should though. Chest remains open. During game play chest does not move at all.

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I just got my hands on this a few weeks ago, but the chest will go up and down on bootup even if the switch isn't triggered. Other than that, the switch on the right side of the (mod) bracket triggers the servo during gameplay. The white bushing sticking out of the side of the fork assembly is what closes this switch. You need to check the white bushing (sometimes it falls out) and the switch and make sure it's closing the switch when the fork is down (chest closed) and letting off the switch when the fork is up (chest open). There are other people describing this in more detail in this thread.

Thank you guys. I will try that.

Moved the placement of the rod on the actuator and bent the hell out of the switch. Still not working. Can anyone share what their switch looks like after adjusting or any other advice?

Here's my switch and servo. I'm not sure if yours will work exactly the same, but mine is working perfectly. This is with the chest in the closed position, which means the forks are down. If you look at the right side of the fork assembly, you should see *two* white bushings. The lower bushing should close the microswitch just as it gets to lowest position. It should let off of the switch when the forks go up. Sometimes these bushings can fall out, so if yours is missing, check the bottom of the cabinet.

As for the rod, this is also where it is positioned with the chest closed. It turns clockwise to pull down on the rod and raise the chest lid. If you can't get it to work after adjusting the switch, I would say to remove the rod and try triggering the switch by hand with the game on to verify your servo is turning and see what positions your servo is stopping at. You can then attach the rod accordingly. With this style rod, you can spin it before you attach it if you need to raise it up or down slightly. If it's too awkward of a position for the rod, remove the servo arm, spin it to a different position, and put it back on the servo.

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I just got the chest mod for Christmas. I think I have everything installed correctly and it doesn't seem to be working at all.
The Servo clicks and seems to adjust when I start the game. ( during installation I started it up without it being connected as that seemed to be important). I believe I have everything plugged in correctly. The light strips does not seem to be working either. I would chose bootstrap Bill to start the game so it would activate the chest easier and it just doesn't seem to move at all. Here are some pictures of the setup. I appreciate any help anybody can give me.

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